Dr. Harley Seyedin is an international businessman, humanitarian, and philanthropist.

Achievements:
--Dr. Harley Seyedin, together with Elon Musk, Durreen Shahnaz and Murad Al-Katib won the 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award. The Oslo Business for Peace Prize is awarded by an Award Committee of Nobel Laureates in Peace and Economics. The task of appointing a new member to the Award committee has been given to former Swedish prime minister Göran Persson, former Norwegian prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and the former director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Kristian Berg Harpviken.

--Among fewer than 20 individuals to be awarded the “Peace Through Commerce Medal” by the U.S. Government since its inception by Thomas Jefferson in 1790 when he served as the nascent US Secretary of State under President George Washington and the only person in history to have been awarded both the Oslo Business for Peace Award and the Peace Through Commerce Medal.

--President, Allelon Energy Systems and former President of Sithe Global Pacific (Sithe Global is majority owned by and is the international power arm of the Blackstone Group).

--Under his direction since 1991, companies led by Harley have achieved firsts in many areas in China, including: the first majority western owned and operated power plant; first western invested toll road; and, first western owned and operated joint US-China university in China offering four year fully US accredited degrees without the need for the students to travel to US.

--Visiting Professor, Jinan University – one of the oldest universities established on mainland China tracing back to the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).

--Former Chairman of Montgomery College and State Chairman of the Maryland Association of Community College Trustees representing all seventeen community colleges of higher education in the State with over 35,000 faculty and staff and 100,000 students.

--Former Member of the Board of Directors of the Kennedy Institute, the largest private Catholic Charity in the United States, by appointment of Cardinal James A. Hickey.

--Together with Secretary of State of Cambodia, Dr. Heng Sokkung Knighted under the Philippine act of Parliament 646 joining Dr. Henry Kissinger and King Carlos of Spain and others previously knighted.

--Recognized by President George Herbert Walker Bush for his involvement with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

--Special Advisor to Chairman, President George Herbert Walker Bush Foundation for US-China Relations.

--Chairman & President, the American Chamber of Commerce in South China.

Eric worked in management consulting with PwC in the U.S. and later served for the U.S. Department of Commerce as the principal commercial officer at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. Eric had a long career with AIG in Greater China and held a series of positions that culminated in his service as CEO of AIG China. He currently chairs the board of Heng An Standard Life Insurance Company.

In volunteer roles, Eric serves as the Greater China regional chair of the Committee of 100 and as a board director of Shanghai Make-A-Wish Charity Foundation. The Shanghai municipal government has granted Eric its Gold Magnolia Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the city. Eric holds a BA from Fudan University and an MBA from Georgetown University.

James M. Zimmerman is a Beijing-based lawyer and author who has lived and worked in China for more than twenty-seven years. He raised three daughters in China who attended their entire schooling years at the Western Academy of Beijing.

James is among China’s leading foreign lawyers and represents companies and individuals confronted with the political and legal complexities of doing business in Mainland China. As a seasoned lawyer and partner with the law firm of Loeb & Loeb LLP Beijing Representative Office, he advises foreign companies on corporate, transactional, regulatory, litigation and white-collar criminal defense matters. James has extensive experience assisting individuals detained and prosecuted under China’s national security and state secrecy laws and regulations, including several high-profile and politically sensitive cases. He represents foreign media—including print, broadcast and social media—in addressing challenges related to security, press freedoms and general operations in China.

James was elected by the membership and served as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China for four terms (2007, 2008, 2015, 2016), and as a vice chairman for two terms (2005, 2006).

He is also the author of the acclaimed non-fiction book The Peking Express: The Bandits Who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China, a New York Times Editors Choice and listed as a best non-fiction book by Fortune Magazine and China Books Review. The Peking Express is a true story of China’s great train robbery of 1923 and is currently in production as a feature film to be co-produced in China and the United States. A Chinese version of his book is forthcoming by the end of this year.

Mr. Diaz is currently located in Guangzhou, China and was appointed as President, Gas Venture in 2021.

Previously, Mr. Diaz was located in Doha, Qatar since 2015 where he had various leadership responsibilities, including Vice-President Commercial, Gas & Power Marketing. In such capacity, he oversaw opportunities to grow ExxonMobil’s business domestically and internationally with the company’s Qatari partners.

Before transferring to Qatar, since 2012 he was Vice-President, LNG Market Development, ExxonMobil Market Development Inc., located in the corporation’s Gas & Power Marketing Company headquarters in Houston, Texas.

Prior to Gas & Power Marketing, Mr. Diaz served in various professional and management positions in ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing Company in the Global Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, as well as Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and Nicaragua, where he’s originally from. Mr. Diaz has been in ExxonMobil for 31 years.

Mr. Diaz received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and minor in Economics from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas and his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He is married to his wife Raquel and has two children: Adriana and Eduardo. He enjoys playing sports, especially soccer and cycling.

Javier Tora, who started in the world of fashion, 25 years ago, working in the family business, in Petrer, Alicante.

After having worked in several ventures, having lived in Villamartin Cadiz, and having worked in several companies, he decided to move to China where he founded the ES Group.

Es Grupo is a conglomerate of companies that employs more than 1300 people, with factories in Spain, China, Myanmar and Albania, offering OEM services to the main fashion brands internationally.

Recently, the group has expanded its activities in other sectors, such as the manufacture of personal protective equipment, investments, business centers, distribution of Spanish products in China.

He is currently President of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain in southern China, founder and coordinator of CEEC, (Club of Spanish Entrepreneurs in Canton), member of the Life Changing Club, CEO at Benessere Capital, founder of Juntos Business Incubator.

Doing an OPM (Owner president Managment) at Harvard business school.

Awarded with the Official Cross to the civil merit of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, for his work in supporting, promoting and disseminating Spain and his interests abroad and contributing to the Spanish community in China.

Joe is a managing director of Kroll (Previously Duff & Phelps), who leads the valuation services for tax filing, financial reporting, state-owned enterprises related transactions, joint ventures, initial public offering, etc. for both multinational and Chinese domestic clients. Joe is responsible for financial consulting services and business development in relation to multinational corporations’ inbound investments and Chinese enterprises’ foreign listings and acquisitions.

Joe had been a part-time professor at Peking University and a lecturer of master program of Valuation at Zhongnan University of Economics and law. Joe is appointed to be the tutor of MBA, MPAcc, Maud, MF by Sun Yat-sen Business School. Joe is also the chairperson of Qualification & Education Committee of IACVA Hong Kong Chapter. Joe has been often invited to speak for the Chinese government and governmental/regulatory authorities, chambers of commerce, professional bodies, stock exchanges, and media organizations. Joe is also active in the international and Chinese business communities. Joe had served as the Co-Chair of IPR Committee of American Chamber of Commerce in South China and has been the Governor of American Chamber of Commerce in South China since 2003. In Jan 2012, Joe was awarded a certificate by the U.S. Department of Commerce for his contribution to Sino-US trade.

Joe has successfully served many multinational companies and Chinese domestic companies with valuation and consulting services for merger and acquisition, stock listing, due diligence, financial reporting, joint venture and other purposes, which including IBM, Qualcomm, HP, CooperStandard, Houghton, Huawei, DJI, Ant Financial, Air Products, Marelli, Degussa, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly, Accenture, Starbucks, CBS, Dassault, LDC, Kateeva, Sanofi, TE, Synopsys, Manitowoc, AGM, etc.

Melinda Xu works as Managing Director at Ankura China, a global advisory and expert services firm recognized by Forbes among the World's Best Management Consulting Firms. Melinda has extensive experience engaging with government agencies, industry associations, think tanks, and business leaders across both China and the United States. Melinda helps leadership teams navigate the increasingly complex intersection of business, policy, technology, and geopolitics. She regularly counsels senior executives on global expansion, strategic positioning, regulatory developments, supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence, and emerging risks shaping international markets.

Prior to joining Ankura, Melinda served as Vice President of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC), one of the leading organizations supporting commercial relations between the United States and China. During her nearly ten-year tenure, she worked closely with nearly 300 leading U.S. companies and government stakeholders on policy advocacy, market access, and business strategy. As USCBC’s first Chinese Chief Representative in its more than fifty-year history, she expanded the organization's regional footprint, deepened engagement with stakeholders across China and U.S., and strengthened its ability to support multinational companies navigating an increasingly complex U.S.-China business environment.

Melinda has a longstanding interest in emerging technologies and their implications for business strategy, public policy, and international competitiveness. Drawing on her experience in the telecommunications sector and years of work at the intersection of business and government, she frequently advises clients on developments related to artificial intelligence, digital regulation, technology policy, and the evolving global technology landscape.

A frequent speaker on U.S.-China relations, international business strategy, and geopolitical developments, Melinda is a trusted advisor to senior executives navigating a rapidly evolving global landscape. She remains actively engaged in promoting dialogue and understanding between the U.S. and China through business, policy, and academic exchanges. This draws from her academic roots at the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University, Center for Chinese and American Studies — the first U.S.-China joint higher educational program since 1980s.

Cameron Turley serves on the Board of the U.S. Heartland China Association, and is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. He is also a Senior Managing Director within Ankura’s China Advisory practice (formerly GreenPoint Group) with more than two decades of experience helping multinational companies develop and implement tailored strategies and tactical plans to achieve commercial goals in China.

EXPERIENCE:
Previously, Cameron spent nearly two decades with a global business advisory firm led by former U.S. Senator and Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, where he helped to build one of the top China practice groups in the industry. As Vice President, he led client engagements in a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, clean energy, agriculture, chemicals, consumer products, testing/certification, building materials, industrial packaging, financial services, and transportation. He also helped set up and manage two offices in China, coordinated high-level Chinese government interactions, and mentored the next generation of U.S.-China business professionals.

Cameron served at the U.S. State Department’s Chinese School of Language Studies, where he developed diplomatic training materials. Then he began his consulting career at Andreae, Vick, and Associates, and worked with Christine Vick who served as a long-time aide to Dr. Henry Kissinger at the US State Department and at Kissinger Associates.

Cameron graduated summa cum laude and was valedictorian of Brigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, where he majored in International Law & Diplomacy and Asian Studies.

Cameron is based in Washington, DC and is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

Scott Chen is a Partner in Business Consulting specializing in Supply Chain and Operations Transformation, with more than 20 years of experience helping multinational corporations and leading enterprises improve supply chain performance, enhance resilience, and deliver sustainable business value.

Scott advises clients across the full supply chain transformation journey, from strategy and operating model design to implementation and benefits realization. His areas of expertise include integrated business planning, demand and supply planning, procurement transformation, supply chain network and fulfillment optimization, supplier risk management, cost reduction, and digital enablement. He combines strategic thinking with practical implementation experience to turn complex operational challenges into executable transformation programs.

Scott has led major supply chain strategy and transformation engagements across multiple industries. These engagements reflect his focus on connecting commercial priorities with supply chain operations to improve responsiveness and efficiency. His industry experience spans automotive, industrial manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, technology, high-tech electronics, textiles, apparel, and consumer products. He is experienced in managing complex cross-functional programs, engaging senior executives, defining transformation roadmaps, and aligning business stakeholders around measurable performance objectives.

Before joining EY, Scott held a senior leadership role at Dun & Bradstreet China, where he led consulting services, analytics, and product development in Greater China. This background strengthened his expertise in risk management, analytical solutions, and data-driven decision-making.

Scott holds an MBA from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and is an SAP Certified Consultant in Procurement and Supply Chain Response Management.

His professional focus is to help organizations build agile, efficient, and future-ready supply chains by connecting strategy, operational execution, advanced analytics, and digital capabilities to deliver measurable and lasting value.

Gardenia, MLitt Management Master of University St Andrews, Business School Ambassador with Top 3 University in the UK, the representative of Chinese alumni in Greater Bay Area. She is the CEO Assistant of DLX Global Logistics, a famous vlogger in global trade circle, helped hundreds of clients in North America and Europe in terms of global logistics.

She was on camera reporter of province TV station in the past, joined Date with Lu Yu famous Talk TV Show at GREE Group and interviewed chairman, Ms. Dong Ming Zhu. Hosted a great number of events, such as the voices of Super girls of Hunan SATELLITE TV, Go Global Forum of British Chamber, British Alumni Association and Ceilidh Ball of Scottish and British government, and many Cross-border Logistics Conferences.

She focuses on branding, supporting clients engaged in global trade, particularly managing logistics and shipping to the USA, the UK and Europe.

Fabien Pacory is a French business executive leading several companies, with a long-standing presence in China.

He is actively committed to strengthening economic, institutional, and environmental relations between France and China. He serves as Executive Vice-President of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI France Chine) and Vice-President for South China, where he plays an important role in developing the Franco-Chinese business community and fostering relationships with local authorities.

Fabien holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from SKEMA Business School and is a specialist on hybrid management practices in strategic innovation clusters of the Greater Bay Area, the subject of his thesis.

He is also specialist of the robot industry in South China.

Throughout his career, he has also been involved in sustainable development, institutional cooperation, and economic development initiatives across Asia.

He also serves as an advisor to SKEMA, specializing in development in Asia, sustainability, carbon neutrality, and the circular economy in China.

Deeply involved in relations between France and Guangdong Province, Fabien Pacory regularly engages with Chinese institutions, French diplomatic representatives, and the business community. He is a French Foreign Trade Advisor (Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur de la France) and an Advisor to the City of Zhanjiang on Foreign Affairs. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Alliance Française de Guangzhou.

He is equally committed to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. He is a co-founder and one of the key driving forces behind Mangrove Together, an initiative developed in the Zhanjiang region to support mangrove restoration. Led in partnership with CCI France Chine, the initiative received the 2026 ESG Award from CCI France International. Fabien is also co-author of the book The Mangroves of Zhanjiang: The Forest of the Sea.

Fabien is also actively involved in cultural and intellectual cooperation projects between France and China, particularly initiatives aimed at promoting Zhanjiang’s cultural and natural heritage and raising awareness of mangrove conservation and the protection of Chinese white dolphins.

He co-directed a documentary on this subject, The Giant Panda of the Sea, which received the 2025 Golden Butterfly Award in Shenzhen.

Greg Smith, is the Head of School at Shekou International School in Shenzhen and Vice President of US company, International Schools Services. Greg is originally from Western Australia where he was a teacher, a principal, a curriculum advisor and superintendent. He held senior administrative roles in schools in Beijing and Vientiane prior to returning to China and Shenzhen in 2018. His two children have graduated from international schools and his wife has been an international educator, so his family’s commitment and connection to education is strong. He is particularly interested in building networks between schools and communities so that learning is relevant and prepares students for the word they will inherit.

Alexander von Kaldenberg is Chairman and Co-Founder of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce South China.

A Canadian who has lived and worked in China for close to two decades, he has spent his career building companies, partnerships and government relationships across the Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on the commercial corridor between Canada and Asia.

He is Head of Accounts and Strategic Partnerships, Asia, at CoinPayments, a global crypto payments platform, where he works with merchants, payment providers and financial institutions bringing digital-asset payments into mainstream commerce. He is a tech entrepreneur who founded his own tech startup focused on digital identity for animals and also led marketing for blockchain infrastructure company Velas.

Alexander holds a degree in International Relations from the University of British Columbia, completed executive education in negotiation at Ivey Business School in Hong Kong, and is a graduate of the Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Through the chamber, he works closely with the Consulate General of Canada and partner chambers across the region to facilitate connections amongst Canadian, Chinese and international businesses.